I narrowed my eyes at him and took the phone back. “And you trust me with it? Even though my article is the reason your last phone turned into an electrical hazard?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I trust you with it.” He bent down and kissed me lightly on the cheek. “Don’t hesitate to use it when you’re ready to start your book research, Hawaii. I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Sixteen
Leo
Do I know howto date a girl? Nope, not a clue.
I knew how to hook up with girls—albeit not usually more than once with the same person—but Sophia was an entirely different story. After I’d gone up to the weight room, I’d realized I should have capitalized on the opportunity in front of me by requesting dates or at least regular hang outs, but my mind had been too preoccupied with the streamers and confetti flying around at the surprise realization that she wanted to have sex with me on an ongoing basis.
In the spur of the moment, I’d thrown out my request to be friends, hoping we could at least be friends with benefits instead of just fuck buddies. Maybe our arrangement could turn into something more. Maybe if we spent time together, what we had could turn into dating. As strange as it felt for me to admit it, I knew that was what I wanted with her. She made my heart skip beats in ways I was pretty sure I should ask my dad about—medically speaking.
I hadn’t known Sophia would be coming to practice this morning. Coach had said it was a possibility, but when I’d glanced up at the stands and saw her there leaning over a notebook with her dark hair curtaining her face, I’d been unable to suppress the joy I’d felt. Knowing her eyes were on me while I practiced did something to me I didn’t understand, but I was dying for her to be in the stands cheering for me at our games and waiting for me outside the locker room so we could leave together. I wanted this girl in a way that was completely foreign to me, and I didn’t know what to do with those feelings. Asking her to hang out platonically may have been a random impulse, but I didn’t know how else to get her to see me as more than just someone for sex and it seemed like a good place to start. If a friendship didn’t lead to anything then maybe I could at least get this crush out of my system and stop obsessing over her laugh and those eyes.
I’d read her second article as soon as it was released yesterday and I still wasn’t sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, she’d practically flirted with me in the article, saying she could be a Bruins fan with good reason, but on the other, she’d essentially warned everyone on campus against having a relationship with hockey players because of our grueling schedules. Knowing how she felt about her family in Hawaii, I had a feeling that no matter what we turned into during this little research project of hers, it would be over at graduation.
I was starting to get antsy by the time I left dinner with Devon and Rickles. Sophia still hadn’t reached out. Not that I’d expected her to be asking for sex immediately, but I had thought she’d maybe text me so I’d have her number. I should have just asked for her number.
Why? So, you can look like the needy little weirdo you’re turning into?
“I’ll see you later,” I said to the guys as they turned toward a party on frat row. I had no interest in being at a party and I figured hangingout with Jace would be my best bet since I did a fairly good job forgetting about anything else when I was immersed in a video game.
Me:You wanna hang out?
Jace:Sorry, little dude. Got a date.
Of course. Jace never sits at home waiting for people to call him.
I had a history paper due in a couple days and the responsible thing to do would probably be to use this free time to start that. I’d just walked into my dorm room when my phone rang. My pulse soared. I ripped it out of my pocket and thrust it to my ear without looking at it.
“Hey,” I said, excited and smooth.
“I’ve never heard you so eager to talk to me,” Aunt Sloane said, sounding amused.
“Oh.” My voice dropped. “Hey, Aunt Sloane.”
“Okay, well clearly you thought I was someone else,” she said. My aunt had a distinct tone of voice that we all knew included eye rolling so I didn’t have to see her to recognize it was happening.
“Sorry.” I lay down on my bed. “What’s up?”
“I got us Måneskin tickets for their show in a few weeks. They’re coming to TD Garden.”
“Sweet!” I yelled. Aunt Sloane and I had been going to rock concerts together for years. My mother loved pop music and at some point when I was a toddler, Aunt Sloane decided she couldn’t let me grow up thinking that was what counted as good music, so she’d made it her mission to get me into rock. It’d worked and we loved all the same bands.
“I’ll text you the details and if your schedule doesn’t work out, I’ll just drag Lavi along.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Aunt Sloane,” I said. We talked for a few more minutes before I hung up the phone and focused on my history paper. It was midnight and I was just about done with my first draft when my phone chimed with a text.
Sophia:Hey, this is Sophia.
My heart started racing.Seriously, what is with my body these days? Do all crushes make you feel like you’re going to die from relief when you talk to them? Seems inconvenient, not to mention dangerous.
I immediately saved her number before leaning back in my desk chair. I hoped I came across a lot cooler than I felt after having waited to hear from her all day.
Me:Hey, Hawaii. It’s after midnight. Is this our first booty call?
Sophia:It would be safe for you to assume that I won’t be asking for any booty calls. Do people still do that?
